Love Letters: Three Things That Show If We Know God

“Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble.” (1 John 2:10)

Obedience: Actions Speak Louder Than Words (1 John 2:3-5a)

• God’s commands
• The way of obedience
• Love made complete

Imitation: The Sincerest Form of Flattery (1 John 2:5b-6)

• Living, or abiding, in God
• Walking like Jesus walked

Love: Shedding Light on Life (1 John 2:7-11)

• Wisdom that is both old and new
• The crossroads of time
• Get real with it

Discussion Questions:

1. Who is someone you have encountered who really seemed to know God? What was it about them that would make you describe them in that way?
2. Today, we are looking at 1 John 2:3-11. Take some time to mark or write down recurring words or phrases that you encounter in this passage.
3. The overarching idea for 1 John 2:3-11 is found in verse 3. What is it?
4. The idea of God’s commands can be very general, but John clarifies what he means later in the letter. See 1 John 3:23 and discuss what God’s commands are for John.
5. There are three places where John begins a thought with the phrase “whoever says” (translated differently in various translations):  verses 4, 6, and 9. What is the main idea behind each of these statements, and how do they relate to the overarching concept of knowing that we know God found in verse 3?
6. What does it mean to “obey His word” (v 5)?
7. Based on what you know, what do you think it looks like to “live as Jesus did” (v 6)? You may want to reflect on what you see of Jesus in the gospels.
8. John apparently contradicts himself in verses 7-8. Consult Deuteronomy 6:5, Leviticus 19:18, Mark 12:28-34, and John 13:34 in order to gain perspective on how the command can be both old and new.
9. Describe the contrast you see in verses 9-11. What is the main contrast and what does it mean?
10. Identify one practical way you will respond to the message and study this week. Write it down, reflect on it, and put it into practice this week. If you are in a small group, discuss this with one another.
11. One very specific thing you could do this week is to read the entire book of 1 John in one sitting. It was originally a letter written to be read all at once.